Rail-fastener.



J. S. MATHEWS.

RAIL FASTENER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE I2. 19]].

Patented Dec. 4, 1917.

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JOHN S. MATHEWS, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA, ASSIGIN'OR OF ONE-HALF T0 CARL E.NEUBAUER, ONE-SIXTEENTH TO BEN GRIMM, AND ONE-SIXTEENTH TO JOHN BEERHALTER, ALL OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

BAIL-FASTENEE.

Specification of Letteis Patent.

Patented Dec. 4, 191?.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it knownv that 1, JOHN S. MATHEWS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota,have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Fasteners, of whichthe following is a specification. 1 The present invention relates torail fasteners; and it proposes certain hereinafter describedimprovements in devices of this character whereby the spikes, whichfasten the rail sections to the ties or sleepers, are prevented frombecoming loose and working out of the ties under the constantly repeatedjarring caused by the passage of trains over the rails, and instead, aresecurely held in place, thus avoiding sagging and creeping of the rails.

According to the invention, there is provided for each spike a speciallyconstructed spring plate, which overlies the adjacent flange of the railand is formed with an outwardly-projecting tongue having an opening forthe passage of the spike therethrough, the inner edge of the openingbeing line with the edge of the rail flange so as to in- 7 sure itsdirect engagement by the spike.

This spring plate is normally flat, but is flexed or bowed downward bythe spike head, so that its interposition between the latter and therail flange in a compressed or tensioned state serves to take up thejars due to passing trains which wouldv otherwise directly affect thespike, from which itfollows that the spike is enabled to firmly engagethe rail and to remain securely embedded in the tie.

An embodiment of the invention is illustlated in the accompanyingdrawing, whereo Figure 1 is a perspective. view, showing the improvedfastener in use.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, showing the form which the spring plateassumes when not in use.

Referring more particularly to said drawing, 5 indicates in a generalmanner a standard or conventional rail section embodying, as usual,tread and web portions 6 and 7 and a pair of oppositely-projecting baseflanges 8.

' The attachment of the rail to the sleeper 9, (Fig. 2) is efiected bymeans of spikes 10, WhlCh may be of any desired type, the heads 11 ofthe spikesoverlying the rail flanges.

bent downward so as to form supporting legs 13, these legs beingprovided at their free outer corners with retaining extensions or toes14. Also, there is formed on the body portion of each plate, midwaybetween the ends of its outer longitudinal edge, an

outwardly-projecting tongue 15, which, in

turn, is formed with an opening 16, exactly conforming in its dimensionsto the crosssectional area of the spike shank' This tongue 15 isdisposed co-planar with the body of the spring plate, and the rear edgeof its opening 16 coincides with the outer longitudinal edge of the saidplate, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The toes 14 on the bent ends or feet13 of the plate serve as a positioning means for the latter, and theyare so proportioned as to locate the aforesaid outer edge of the plateand, hence, the rear edge of the opening 16, directly above the outeredge of the rail flange, so that the rear or inner face of the spikeshank, when driven into the tie, will directly engage the flange edgeand, in consequence, hold the rail against sidewise movement. The plateitself will likewise be securely held against both sidewise and endwisemovement in either direction, by the passage of the spike through, andits tight fit in, the opening 16, and by the engagement of the toes 14with the rail edge, as will be understood.

When not in use, the body of the plate assumes a straight or flatposition; but when held in place on the rail flange by the spike,the-pressure imposed upon it, due to driving the spike home in the tie,causes the plate to buckle or flex downward, until it assumes theconcave formation represented in Figs. 1 and 2. It may be stated,however, that said plate is strong enough to resist a very considerablepressure, (in practice, about 1000 pounds), before buckling in themandriven fully home, the central portion of the plate will still bedisposed above and out of contact with the upper face of the flange.

- Bv reason of this arrangement, the shocks caused by passing trains aretaken up by the plates, instead of being directly exerted upon thespikes, so that the heads of the latter have at all times a secure andrigid hold on said plates, with the result that the danger of the spikesbecoming loosened by such shocks or jars is avoided.

I claim as my invention:

1. A rail fastener, comprising a spring plate adapted to rest upon arail flange and having an integral tongue intermediate the ends of itsbody portion, which projects laterally outward from the outerlongitudinal edge of said body portion and is provided with an openingfor the passage of a spike therethrough, so that the head of the spikewill project inwardly across said body portion, said opening conformingin size and shape to the cross-sectional area of the shank of the spike;and supporting means on said plate for holding its body portion spacedabove the upper face of said rail flange; said body portion beingnormally fiat, but

adapted to flex, downward under the pres sure imposedupon it by thespike head.

2. A rail fastener, comprising aspring plate adapted to rest upon a railflange and having an integral tongue intermediate the ends of its bodyportion, which projects laterally outward from the outer longitudinaledge of said body portion and is provided with an opening for thepassage of a spike therethrough, so that the head of the spike willproject inwardly across said body portion and contact directly with thesame, said opening conforming in size and shape to the cross-sectionalarea of the shank of the spike; and integral supporting feet on saidplate fdr holding its body portion spaced above the upper face of therail flange and having toes engageable with the outer edge of saidflange to position the rear edge of said opening directly above saidflange edge.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

JOHN S. MATHEWVS. Witnesses:-

H. J. PALMER, J 01m BERNARD.

